MARK ALT Nickname: Alty or Salty Size: 6-3, 205 Position: Defense Shoots: Right Birthday: Oct. 18, 1991 (23) Hometown: St. Paul, Minn. Family: Girlfriend THE FACE-OFF Type of phone: "iPhone 5." What type of music do you have on it: "I have a lot. Everything lately. I've been into light rock. Pearl Jam, which is strange, but I like them right now." Favorite group: "I like Eric Church a lot. I'm a big Dave Matthews fan, and I listen to what the guys do in the locker room, techno and all that stuff." Most famous person in your contacts: "Chris Pronger. He took me out to dinner after the season last year, so I got his number....

He arrived at his current home in Rhode Island by way of Iowa, Whitehall, Pa., and Foxboro, Mass., among other stops, but Dan Koppen is a proud New Englander now and settling nicely into his post-playing career.
The former Whitehall High School star...

Roger Goodell has the PR equivalent of 3.1 seconds before the pocket of negativity collapses on him and the rich NFL empire over which he presides.
The embattled commissioner must act swiftly and appropriately, though speed has never been his or the...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick.
Who are all the tight ends on the Buffalo Bills?
In his first week with the Patriots in 2009, Rob Ninkovich was stumped when Bill Belichick surprised him with that question.
"Afterward, he came up to me and he said, 'You...

The NFL says it is still investigating how the New England Patriots used underinflated balls in its last game but has no conclusions yet and no timetable for resolving the cheating accusations with the Super Bowl nine days away.
The league said today...

Not just NFL: Ball-tampering an issue for other sports, too
Scuffed balls, scratched balls, balls switched mid-game. Ball-doctoring isn't only an issue for the NFL, which is investigating a report that the New England Patriots used underinflated...

Sorry, folks, but I'm not biting on DeflateGate. The whole thing is asinine and overblown. It would be three paragraphs on Page B6 if it didn't involve the Patriots and their dastardly coach, that sneaky repeat offender Bill Belichick, leading into...

The NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots deflated footballs that were used in their AFC championship game victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
"We are looking into it," league spokesman Brian McCarthy wrote in an...

The NFL is filled with seminal snapshots that tell stories that words, by themselves, could never do.
There was Chuck Bednarik's celebration over an unconscious Frank Gifford; Dwight Clark's leaping grab of a Joe Montana pass in the back of the end zone;...

The hoodie. The skirting of the rules. The dashing quarterback with the model wife.
Oh, and all that winning.
There's no getting around it, he New England Patriots sure are annoying.
The team everyone loves to hate just won't go away, claiming a spot...

OK you conspiracy theorists out there, here's some juicy stuff.
According to well-researched and rather mind-boggling data compiled by Warren Sharp of sharpfootballanalysis.com, the New England Patriots have had fumble rates for years that almost defy...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - While Tom Brady is preparing for his ninth AFC Championship Game appearance, an old adversary is tossing darts.But Brady elected to take the high road when asked Thursday about a critique from Ray Lewis. The former Baltimore Ravens...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Rex Ryan is officially going from Broadway to Buffalo.
The Bills announced in a news release Monday that Ryan has been hired to take over as coach. The news came a day after the former New York Jets coach tentatively accepted...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets fans may be ready to run Geno Smith out of town, but the second-year quarterback doesn't plan on going anywhere.In fact, the 24-year-old envisions himself being the Jets' starter for years to come."I see myself...

Darrelle Revis looked straight ahead and spotted the reporter standing behind his right shoulder.
"I can see him right now without looking at him," New England's star cornerback said, smiling at writers and cameras at his locker. "It's a...

MIAMI — As the calendar turns to December in the coming days, the mission for these Dolphins is simple: sweep the hapless Jets (and win at least two other games) and close the season strong.Beating the 2-9 Jets twice over the next five weeks (including...

Rex Ryan already has witnessed one of his favorite players, Darrelle Revis, wearing a different uniform.
But Revis lining up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on opening day last season was one thing. Seeing him as a New England Patriot tonight will be...

— They have vastly different personalities and come from completely different backgrounds, but they have one huge and very obvious common denominator, according to Zach Ertz.
"Their desire to win is very similar," the Philadelphia Eagles...

Cary Williams doesn't like the New England Patriots.
Didn't like them before he brawled with Aaron Dobson during a joint practice with them last summer. Doesn't like them now and probably never will like them even after Bill Belichick is no longer the...

— Mark Sanchez arrived at Philadelphia Eagles training camp last week amid a great deal of valid questions regarding his ability, confidence and physical condition. After just three days of practice, he seems to have eliminated them all.
The backup...